


Vanishing Memory

by Stardustdragon123



Series: Stand Up, the LRIG! Side-Stories/One-Shots [5]
Category: Cardfight!! Vanguard, selector infected WIXOSS
Genre: Spoilers for Ride 99 of Stand Up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:48:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27192655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stardustdragon123/pseuds/Stardustdragon123
Summary: (Spoilers: Set during the ending of Ride 99) Ibuki during his wait for the Planet Brandt to approach Cray and Delete Vanguard itself is encountered by Remember who challenges him to a fight to regain Mayu's favour after an earlier defeat. But will the fortunes of this Wixoss expert hold up against those who erase everything in their path? Read on to discover Remember's fate.
Series: Stand Up, the LRIG! Side-Stories/One-Shots [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/789186





	Vanishing Memory

_Vanguard..._

_That name which brings so much hatred from me... a game that should be erased from existence._

_Such is the proof of the existence of the Void and the Link Joker invasion of the year prior that acts as additional evidence for my revenge against this accursed plaything._

_But even now, I can sense that fate is approaching fast for anyone whose hearts are foolishly devoted to a lost cause, by foes from a parallel Earth to my own where units are snatched from their hands._

_The question that now remains is will these recent events serve to aid me in my cause, where the potential to wipe out Vanguard in one fell swoop can be achieved or is this merely another obstacle in my quest as I await the wandering star's arrival to Cray._

_Only I, Ibuki Kouji will know for certain._

* * *

**Present Day**

Within a desolate part of the city, Ibuki had certainly been more than happy to keep to himself and to patiently await the day his new and only friend could make its true powers known to all before him. However, that did not mean he could choose to entirely live out his solitude in peace however as this recent confrontation with whoever it was that had bumped into him and dragged him forcefully into a cardfight over the units he held. He huffed as she dragged him to a fight table that had been setup within the disused building they were now in and began preparations for the fight.

The girl in question had long wavy brown hair and purple eyes in addition to a frilled dress, clearly more than eager to begin the fight after an incident that had occurred not too long ago. Ibuki could clearly hear her mumbling to herself much to his hidden chagrin as he set down his starting Vanguard.

"... just you wait Kiyoi-chan!" she muttered to herself "I don't even need the Blue Waves by my side to be rid of you and Kamui!"

"Are you more interesting in rambling instead of dragging me all this way out for a meaningless bout?"

Taken aback by the young man's irritated demanour, the Selector in question playfully pouted in an effort to taunt him before sneering to herself as she assembled her starting hand.

"Oh, I have my ways," she chuckled "At least you'll be the first fighter in a while I've had to use my own self against."

Sensing that she was indeed ready to begin the fight, both of them reached out for their starting Vanguards and turned them face up as their imagination took them to a rocky plain on the surface of the Planet Cray with blood red skies above the pair.

"Remember, Star-Reading Miko!"

Remember's astral form was replaced by that of her appearance as an LRIG before she had gotten her body back not so long ago. A playful yet confident smile took to her lips as if she wanted to savour this moment the best she could before deciding to go after Kamui and Kiyoi once again as vengeance for them and Akira exposing her deceptions and her act of cheating in the last fight she was in. Ibuki's spirit radiated in a purplish black coloured aura as he was enshrouded in shadow, leaving his opponent in partial suspense as to what kind of clan, let alone unit he was using in the fight ahead of them.

A pair of wings emerged from the smoke as a pair of yellow eyes shone from the bleakness before it dispersed to reveal a rather strange looking unit that gazed upon the imaged LRIG. It looked like a skull with a third eye of sorts and two pairs of purple coloured horns sprouting from its head with its entire spine forming a tail with the wings attached at the back. Back in reality, Remember could only stare down at the unfamiliar unit, confused about the very existence of this card. But what caught her attention more was the clan name indented on the card as Ibuki spoke out its name.

"Acquire Deletor, Igor."

"Link Joker?" she pondered before staring at him "Oi, you're not a new hired gun for Mayu, right?"

"Hired gun?" the young man muttered irritably "I serve no one. These cards only hold the clan of Link Joker as it has taken in its powers as their own eons ago."

"So a bunch of rogues that Chaos Breaker keeps muttering about," Remember scoffed as a card hovered out of her deck and bound itself face down before she drew her first card "Ride! Remember Morni, Star-Reading Miko!"

As a series of rectangular flashes engulfed the Grade 0 Remember, her dress grew longer on the imaged battlefield and a crystal ball manifested in her right arm which she clutched tightly. She took up a defensive stance as Igor moved to her opponent's backrow as a new unit took its place. Like the latter unit, its head was a skull and it had identical features in comparison with some cosmetic differences, only this time, it had a pair of short stubby arms that it flexed out as Ibuki called out the unit's name.

"Breaking Deletor, Gatario," he announced quietly "Attack."

Gatario lunged forward into the air above Remember Morni as she could only stare up at it before it thrust its tail right across her torso, the stinger leaving behind some pain as her first damage came out as Code Art KEY. This Draw Trigger had helped the real Remember to increase her hand to prepare for the rest of the fight knowing that this was an advantage she could not afford to waste. She simply smiled at the outcome before proceeding with her next turn, knowing thing would turn in her favour later on as she grasped the flow of the fight.

"Even without this stupid wind, I can still deal with unfortunates like you," she scoffed "I will say goodbye to my other self until the next turn and ride JV!"

Code Art JV's card was placed onto the Vanguard circle before it was immediately rested to signal the holder's first attack as the imaged JV hovered at tremendous speed towards Gatario. It remained motionless as the Electric Machine SIGNI rammed head on into the grotesque Deletor, knocking it backwards as a second Gatario and a card named Swift Deletor, Geali entered Ibuki's damage zone. The young man remained unfazed, even towards Remember's calm confidence in the opening stages as he merely drew his next card and placed it down onto the Vanguard circle.

"Ride. Bloating Deletor, Gio," he said unenthusiastically "I call a second one."

Gatario vanished from the battlefield in a shroud of dark purplish black smog before a Deletor that was significantly taller than the latter whilst also possessing many striking similarities with some elements that made it unique. One such being the shape of its skull-like face and the horn like appendages being present on its back as several insect like legs carried it above the ground beneath it. A second Gio appeared in front of Igor as the first one dashed towards Code Art JV with the Electric Machine SIGNI taking up a defensive stance in response. Jet-ski Rider rushed inbetween the two units on a wave of water which swept the attacking Gio away and deflecting its attack. In reality, Ibuki seemed unconcerned as his drive check revealed Squeezing Deletor, Id.

"Draw Trigger," he muttered "I give power to my rear-guard Gio and attack."

The rear-guard Gio swiftly approached JV on its legs and leaped into the air, slashing across her chest with its right claw as she screamed in pain, much to Remember's lack of concern as the damage was brought up to two apiece from the previous attack. The former LRIG drew her next card and smiled upon seeing what was assembled within her hand at this present moment.

"Ride!" she announced with glee "Remember Dawn, Star-Reading Miko!"

A battered JV exited the battlefield in a flash of light as the imaged Remember returned to the Vanguard circle with longer coattails to her dress and a more gleaming and shiny crystal ball in her left hand.

**Remember Dawn, Star-Reading Miko/Grade 3/Twin Drive!/POW: 10000/Magallanica/Human;LRIG/Magallanica**

The real Remember then pointed a finger towards the rear-guard Gio before deepening her smile as she pulled it back in a swift motion.

"Since I rode her... Freeze Gio!" she commanded.

Ibuki didn't flinch, but an eyebrow rose as he observed Gio's card being encased in ice that suddenly formed on top of the entire rear-guard circle that was present on the playmat they were using. Although this tactic hadn't shaken him, he had not expected such a thing to have been both familiar and unfamiliar to him at the same time from all he knew of Vanguard. That was when he finally realized who it was that was standing before him.

"With this," Remember explained "Gio cannot Stand during the next Stand Phase and it also cannot move to another rear-guard circle by itself or even another card's effect."

"So a slightly stronger Paralyze..." the young man muttered "I trust you have more to show me than a simple gimmick your units have taken from Megacolony."

"Heh. I have more tricks than mere coincidence with me here," she chuckled as she held out four cards and called them to the rear-guard.

Tidal Assault, Code Art WTC, Remember Morni and a unfamiliar looking Electric Machine SIGNI unit appeared behind the former with aspects of her armour resembling that of a small and compact generator.

"First, I use WTC's skill to Freeze Igor!" the real Remember's voice echoed as Igor was encased in a prison of thick ice behind the frozen Gio "Then I use GNR's Counter Blast! Once per turn, a Frozen SIGNI on your board loses all of its skills as well as the ability to boost and intercept!"

"So you froze Gio and Igor before using GNR to seal my intercept," Ibuki noted calmly before closing his eyes "A unique approach to say the least."

"Unique will be more than you'll have to say against my stratagem," Remember retorted with a sneer before resting her Vanguard to begin her assault "Remember attacks your Vanguard Gio!"

"No guard," her opponent muttered.

The former LRIG kept her cool smile as she reached out for the top of her deck and turned over the first card of her Twin Drive to reveal Battleship Intelligence. She then turned over the second card to reveal another Jet-ski Rider which was beneficial for her onslaught. On the imaged battlefield, Tidal Assault took all of the power boosts from the double Trigger whilst the imaged LRIG herself took both of the Critical effects for herself, allowing her to deal three damage at once to Gio who remained motionless as energy was charged up in the crystal ball its opponent held. Remember Dawn then released that energy into a devastating beam that struck the Deletor head on and knocked it onto its back as three cards dropped into Ibuki's damage zone, revealing Refusing Deletor, Evil, Squeezing Deletor, Id and Juxtapose Deletor, Gaele. The power from the Draw Trigger helped Gio to rise back up as its power increased as well.

**Bloating Deletor, Gio/POW: 10000 - 15000**

"So you've decreased the amount of shield you'd want to throw away," Remember scoffed "It seems my fortunes are slowly returning to me so I can deal with some nuisances after I've beat you and take... whatever those Deletors are that you call to my mistress."

"It's still your turn," Ibuki replied with a hint of venom to his tone "Continue."

"As you wish!" the former LRIG replied "Tidal Assault attacks on his own first!"

"Gatario guards!" Ibuki announced as a second copy of Gatario landed on the guardian circle.

At the same time on the imaged battlefield, the first Deletor he had rode had bit down on Tidal Assault's arm, forcing him to throw off the guardian as he limped in pain, his power decreasing at the same time. Fortunately, Code Art GNR was boosting him to replenish some of the lost strength as he went onwards to attack Gio again in an effort to end the fight immediately. A large purple coloured Deletor with a giant head for a body and multiple insect legs attached to it appeared out of nowhere and chomped down on Tidal Assault's weakened arm, causing him to scream in pain as he struggled to break free, eventually doing so at the cost of his attack. Ibuki then moved the card that was named Polypod Deletor, Oloron to the drop zone.

"Let's go, Code Art WTC!" Remember called at as she rested the card.

"Guard," Ibuki replied nonchalantly as he placed down Squeezing Deletor, Id on the Guardian Circle, blocking the attack with ease.

"So you survived at the expense of your hand," she remarked cooly "But Gio still is frozen with no abilities and it cannot thaw until you Stand it with a card effect or wait until the end of the turn. I don't care what kind of weird units you have, but they are nothing before my reforming absolute fortunes."

**End of Turn 5**

**Remember vs Ibuki**

**Hand - 5 : 5**

**Soul - 3 : 2**

**Damage - 2 : 5**

**Remember's Formation**   
**Code Art WTC - Remember Dawn, Star-Reading Miko - Tidal Assault**   
**Remember Morni, Star-Reading Miko - EMPTY - Code Art GNR**

**Ibuki's Formation:**   
**Bloating Deletor, Gio (Frozen) - Bloating Deletor, Gio - EMPTY**   
**Acquire Deletor, Igor (Frozen) - EMPTY - EMPTY**

As she finished her sentence though, a black crow suddenly flew past her shoulder much to her surprise at the sight and the close proximity as it then came to land on her opponent's shoulder as he drew his next card. He then held it out, causing a black aura to radiate around him as he threw it down onto the Vanguard circle, causing it to glow a bright purple. On the battlefield, the Vanguard Gio disappeared as a chasm broke into the ground creating a large pit where black smoke radiated from it as a shadow began to climb out of it. Remember even through her image couldn't help but feel her very blood run cold and her earlier confidence fade as she saw the very unit that was now emerging into view in front of her.

"W... What is this...?" she gasped "Why do I feel so afraid?!"

The giant new unit in front of her possessed features that likened it to Igor, Gatario and Gio all at the same time as it now seemed far more humanoid in structure compared to before. Strange looking skulls adorned its shoulders and a multitude of insect like legs protruded from its back as well as a variety of an additional pair of arms from its waist that slithered all around its surroundings. Its menacing skull-like face gazed down upon the frightened LRIG as a angry looking Ibuki announced its name in full.

"Daunting Deletor... Oksizz!"

**Daunting Deletor, Oksizz/Grade 3/Twin Drive!/POW: 11000/Link Joker/Alien/Star Gate**

"W... Why didn't I feel this way with the other ones earlier?!" Remember muttered before shaking her head in annoyance "But without a Stand Trigger, your left column is still completely frozen! You can only attack me twice!"

"Who says I intend to just attack twice this turn?"

The former LRIG in her reality could only stare towards him as he turned over three cards from his damage zone as if he was paying the cost for some kind of skill she was about to experience firsthand. Suddenly, the ice around the rear-guard Gio shattered much to her shock as the card moved itself into the soul before she found herself unwillingly back within her image with her full attention focused there. Oksizz suddenly radiated a dark purple aura as it raised its insect leg like appendages from its back and then without warning they lunged forward... and impaled the image of her Vanguard as she screamed loudly in pain, somehow able to feel the full experience her image when said alone and only alone should normally have done so.

"ACK!" she cried "Wha... What is this?!"

Suddenly, she felt something being ripped apart from her essence as the very image of Remember Dawn was being dragged away from her spirit from towards Oksizz itself and she was helpless to stop this sensation.

"What's happening to me?!" she cried in horror.

"Eternal Guilt," Ibuki's voice echoed as the Deletor raised its right arm "Delete!"

Oksizz then slashed across Remember Dawn, causing her to scream loudly as she split apart before vanishing in a puff of smoke. Remember in reality suddenly regained her bearings and looked down at her side of the board to find her Vanguard had now been turned face down.

"My other self... what's happened to it?!" she exclaimed.

"The Vanguard loses all of its skills and its power drops to 0," Ibuki replied "In other words, you've become a hollow shell of yourself. Deleted."

"Deleted...?" the former LRIG breathed "... Is that why they're called Deletors?"

The young man huffed and then turned down to Igor's card, in which the ice shattered causing its card to move to the soul and turn a card from his damage zone face up. He then drew his next card and called a further two to the rear-guard. On the imaged battlefield, the hollow spirit of Remember could only watch as Gatario and a Deletor she had briefly identified as Gaele from the damage she inflicted the previous turn appeared to the left and right of Oksizz. The former resembled a giant worm like creature with a multitude of spindly legs and a grotesque head which gazed upon Tidal Assault before screeching loudly.

"With Gaele's skill, Lock Tidal Assault!" Ibuki declared.

A series of vines suddenly erupted from the ground beneath the Aquaroid before forming a sphere that closed in on him, sealing him in the Deletor's unique method of Locking as the card in question turned face down on Remember's side of the field, much to her shock. Ibuki had not only erased her Vanguard, but he had also paid her back for supposedly sealing his left column on the previous turn in a more effective manner.

"It's still too early to be surprised," her opponent remarked as he went to proceed with his attacks "Go, Gatario!"

Gatario then leapt forward and slithered swiftly across the ground like a serpent towards a helpless Remember who could only cry out in panic as she recalled her power had been reduced to zero.

"Jet-ski Rider guards!" she cried "This will be enough...!"

"Useless!" Ibuki responded "Gatario's power is 10000, the same as your Vanguard's from your current shield!"

Remember could only hiss at this before she looked at WTC who wasted no time in joining the defence through an intercept with the Electric Machine SIGNI and Aqua Force unit working in tandem to yoink Gatario off the ground and send it flying back towards her opponent's side of the field. Oksizz then chuckled darkly as it then hovered into the air and began to charge towards a helpless former LRIG who could only stare at what was about to befall her.

"Twin Drive," Ibuki muttered as he turned over the first card as Refusing Deletor, Evil before following that with Marching Deletor, Maze "Critical Trigger. I give the power to Gaele and the Critical to Oksizz."

Oksizz radiated a golden aura as it received the effects of the Critical Trigger before it then snatched up Remember's spirit form from the ground and held it up towards its sneering skeletal face much to her displeasure. The yellow gem above its forehead began glowing brightly before a beam of concentrated dark energy erupted from it and struck her face, causing her to scream in pain as Tidal Assault and Remember Dawn entered her damage zone back in reality. With its attack finish, Oksizz then tossed her violently to the ground and went back to Ibuki's side of the field as it then gazed down to Gaele.

"Gaele, attack her!" Ibuki declared.

The Juxtapose Deletor then went on all its legs and charged towards the helpless Remember whose astral form had barely enough strength to let her back onto her knees before Battleship Intelligence and Code Art GNR appeared in front of her to protect her with a green barrier. The guardians then vanished after she regained her composure.

"So it appears you will survive for one more turn," Ibuki huffed as he looked to the cards on her board before taking note of the face down card in her bind zone and sighing, believing she would never get a chance to use it.

"Heheheh..."

The young man blinked in confusion for a brief moment he saw Remember's face becoming slowly crazed as she realized the situation she was in and was laughing madly because of it.

"So my fortunes weren't really back to normal yet..." she breathed raggedly inbetween laughs "Kiyoi-chan, you really proved to be a thorn my side even now... damn you Valeos for taking that away from me... Hahahahaha!"

Ibuki merely ignored her current state and watched her draw her next card as she looked at it before placing it into her hand, watching her glance over her options before she picked out one she had added during her first turn thanks to her Grade 0 Remember's skill. As she was about to place it onto the Vanguard Circles, sparks erupted from the card, briefly surprising her.

"Oh, it seems I forgot to mention," he said nonchalantly "Whilst you have figured out riding to another unit can undo the Delete instead of waiting for the end of this turn, Oksizz's other ability prevents you from doing so without discarding a card."

"A small price to pay for this!" Remember chortled as she threw away a copy of Wheel Assault from her hand and then turned over Remember Dawn's card on the Vanguard circle before riding her new unit.

Her astral form on the battlefield radiated in a blinding white light as her new form appeared in its place at full power and completely unaffected by the Delete ability from the previous turn. Her dress was now more shiny and gleaming than ever established in the fight and her crystal ball was now attached to a staff she wielded with crazed glee in her hands as she announced the form's name.

"Remember Night, Star-Reading Miko!"

**Remember Night, Star-Reading Miko/Grade 4/Twin Drive!/POW: 13000/Magallanica/Human;LRIG/Magallanica**

"Grade... 4?" Ibuki pondered with surprise for the very time.

 _ **It would seem there was more to her than we thought...**_ a voice mentally echoed to him in the back of his mind.

Then to add to this earlier surprise, Oksizz's card was enveloped in a bright blue light before it began fading in its original colours to a shade of that same colour whilst Gatario's card at the same time was frozen in a sheet of ice.

"What is this...?" he pondered.

"It's my special skill that will be helpful in this situation," Remember sneered with a crazed smile "With this, Oksizz cannot use its skill on me again as I have increased the cost of his Delete ability by one additional Counter Blast! What do you think?!"

Ibuki could only seethe upon realizing that his only source for Counter Charging face down cards in his damage zone was Igor and that had gone into the soul earlier after previously Deleting Remember's Vanguard. When he turned to the cards in his hand however, he regained his composure and returned his attention to the onslaught that was about to come his way after a new Tidal Assault appeared in the circle left by WTC's previous intercept. On the imaged battlefield, Remember clutched her staff tightly as she looked into the crystal ball for several moments before laughing maniacally.

"This is the end!" she announced as she through her Vanguard's image charged towards Oksizz.

The unit in question remained motionless as a new Deletor with a similar stature to Gio and different shaped features as well as a noticeable lack of legs to speak of, appeared in front of Oksizz and projected a barrier that deflected her attack with ease, not that she seemed to card in the slightest as her real self's Twin Drive had then revealed Blue Storm Guardian Dragon, Icefall Dragon and Medical Officer of the Rainbow Elixir.

"Heal Trigger! All the effects go to Tidal Assault and I...!" she began.

"You'll what? Ignore my damage count from your last turn completely?" Ibuki scoffed.

"What are you talking about," Remember chortled "Your damage zone has only five... EH?!"

She then realized that her last round of attacks on her third turn had still left her opponent with five cards in his damage zone whilst her panic defending in response to her experience of being deleted had left her at four. She pouted angrily before shaking her head and regaining her smile as Tidal Assault received the Heal Trigger's power.

**Tidal Assault/POW: 9000 - 14000**

Tidal Assault on the imaged battlefield attacked on his own at first, charging towards Oksizz to end the fight. As he raised his activated sabers, Gaele moved in front and made a sudden attempt to strike by lunging at the Aquaroid only for the latter to leap on top of his head and jump off of it as it radiated with Remember Morni's boost to charge once more at Oksizz. A new Deletor hovered in front and vented purple gas from its sides, enshrouding Tidal Assault's vision as he suddenly couldn't see before being knocked down by the opposing Vanguard's claw, sending him falling to the ground with the attack being a failure. Remember didn't care as the turn came to an end with her other Tidal Assault being unlocked.

"One more turn... one more and I can show this filthy world that my fortunes will return to being absolute...!" she chuckled maniacally "Then I can finally pay out Valeos for taking away MY right at the Blue Wave fleet and my absolute fortunes will bring about the destruction of this world and Vanguard itself!"

When she finished that final sentence, it was suddenly Ibuki's turn to begin laughing much to her sudden confusion as it wasn't as crazed as hers, yet was still annoying to her ears.

"What's so funny?!" she growled.

"Fortune. Absolute ones... my are you foolish," Ibuki muttered "Such arrogance like that is why I despise Vanguard itself and look forward to its extinction. And yet... you declare yourself the one fit to doing that deed? How idiotic..."

"But... aren't you using those cards right now?!" Remember exclaimed in confusion "Why play with that you hate?!"

"It's only fitting to fight poison with poison," the young man replied as he drew his next card "And these Deletors is no exception to following that rule. Allow me to show you... your fate, or rather... fortune of erasure! Ride the Vanguard!"

Another black aura radiated around him as the former LRIG clenched her cards, feeling more than ready to take him on with Oksizz's ability being rendered useless with her adding a stipulation to the cost. But to her surprise, he rode a different Grade 3 unit on top of Oksizz's card causing the already giant Deletor to vanish from the battlefield in a raging aura that enveloped it. The new unit that emerged was far more insect-like compared to the latter with spindly legs sprouting from its back leading to more that caused the two large torn-like structures to resemble jagged wings, the legs were curved thin with the feet resembling jagged talons and its head was far longer than its neck with a terrifying skull-like image of chest armour being enough to spook the crazed former LRIG as she stared up at it through her image.

"Juxtapose Deletor... Zaele!" Ibuki announced, revealing the unit's name.

**Juxtapose Deletor, Zaele/Grade 3/Twin Drive!/POW: 11000/Link Joker/Alien/Star Gate**

"Another Grade 3 Deletor...?!" Remember gasped "But with Night's ability, your Vanguard's abilities that manually activate in the main phase have a extra Counter Blast added to the cost! You still...!"

"Won't be able to Delete you?" her opponent interrupted "I'm afraid this time, you're sorely mistaken. But first, I call Swift Deletor, Geali behind my frozen Gatario!"

On the imaged battlefield, a new Deletor that possessed four insect-like legs and a tail appeared behind the frozen Gatario. It looked far more humanoid than the other Deletors that had appeared during this fight with shoulder armour covering the top of its arms and a giant helmet with axe like protusions on both sides. Unlike the other Deletors however, the face of Geali did not resemble a skeletal one of any kind.

"W... What was the point of that?!" Remember demanded through her image "Gatario is frozen, so you can't exchange circles with Geali!"

"Who said I was planning to exchange circles?" Ibuki replied, much to her confusion "I was planning on getting rid of Gatario for the cost of Geali's skill!"

"Skill...?" she pondered.

"Vanish Delete!"

At this moment, Gatario radiated a purple aura around its icy prison before it vanished, causing the ice itself to shatter as the aura transferred to Geali and radiated around it as it then lunged forwards and hovered straight into one of the Tidal Assaults, grabbing it by the neck and strangling it. The Aquaroid screamed out in pain before limping, vanishing in a series of purple sparks, much to Remember's shock.

"My intercept...!" she hissed.

"Geali gains 2000 power and moves to the front row!" Ibuki continued "And then...!"

He then turned one of the three face up cards that remained out of the five in his damage zone face down before holding his hand above Zaele's card on the Vanguard circle.

"With the additional Counter Blast added by Night's ability... Seek the mate!"

Zaele let our a terrifying roar as a golden aura rose up around it and concentrated into one point in the air where it made a explosion of black coloured flashes. Four cards from Ibuki's drop zone rearranged themselves on the top of his deck as a file of light scanned through before pulling out the appropriate card he needed into his hand as he glared at Remember before continuing with this ability.

"Juxtapose Deletor, Gaele! Legion!" he declared as he threw the card in question onto the Vanguard circle beside Zaele, causing a dark purple coloured variant of the Legion symbol to briefly flash before the two fighters.

The serpent-like Deletor appeared once again out of a veil of purple coloured smoke as it slithered to be beside the lead Deletor, completing the Legion State as it stood up on most of its legs to join the larger of the two's height in stature.

**Juxtapose Deletor, Zaele and Juxtapose Deletor, Gaele/POW: 20000**

"Legion Skill!" Ibuki continued as he turned over the last two face up cards in his damage zone and discarding a second copy of Zaele from his hand "Since this automatically activates the very moment it Legions, it is not triggered by a manual activation meaning it bypasses the continuous ability of Remember Night!"

"WHAT?!" exclaimed Remember as she watched through her imaged self that Zaele was advancing towards her.

Gaele flew through the air, coiling in motion around in every direction as it soared towards the image of Remember Night and knocked her into the air with the Legion Leader getting ready to strike.

"Docking Release!" Ibuki's voice echoed out aloud.

The spindly leg like attachments on Zaele turned their sharp points in their opponent's direction and unleashed a multitude of purple coloured laser beams that struck Remember all across her body, creating several holes that impaled her imagined self. She screamed in pain as her LRIG form vanished in a puff of smoke before being thrown to the ground as a hollow spirit, alone and with no powers of her own to aid her once again.

"Impossible... he had another one with a lower Counter Blast cost?!" she exclaimed.

"And now, you're just a hollow spirit once again," Ibuki's voice echoed as Zaele glanced down upon her "Hold still whilst I erase you."

Right as he had finished, the ground to the right of his Legion opened up as a another pit opened up wide, allowing a new copy of Oksizz to climb out of the hole and join the pair and Geali on the battlefield, ready to finish off their foe.

"Oksizz!" he announced as the recently called Deletor used its lower pair of arms to thrust out at the deleted Remember, threatening to strike her.

"Medical Officer! Tidal Assault!" Remember screamed out aloud as one of her remaining units on the board followed by the Medical Officer came to her aid, taking the full brunt of the attack before vanishing in a series of purple sparks.

Geali hovered above the ground and charged towards the helpless former LRIG and raised up its right arm as it continued to pick up speed and come closer and closer in range. With one fell swoop, it slashed past her astral form, causing her to scream loudly in pain as Remember Morni entered her damage zone.

"Finish it! Zaele and Gaele!" Ibuki commanded "Legion Attack!"

"Not yet...!" hissed Remember as Icefall Dragon appeared in front of her astral form "Quintet Wall!"

Out of the green circle that the Tear Dragon projected in front of itself, Tidal Assault, Battleship Intelligence, Wheel Assault, Remember Night, Jet-ski Rider and Code Art KEY emerged at the same time, taking up defensive stances as their shield values were added to Remember's astral form as Zaele and Gaele drew closer and closer towards the six guardians.

**Remember Night, Star-Reading Miko/SLD: 35000**

"My shield total brings my power back to 35000 whilst Zaele and Gaele only have 22000!" Remember breathed haggardly with her crazed smile having returned "Fortune has favoured me once again... Not even a double Critical Trigger can break through!"

Ibuki stared at the current situation, knowing that she was indeed correct going into the next Twin Drive than even 10000 power acquired from a double trigger of any kind would not be enough for his Legion's power to break through. However, he knew that only applied to power alone and with his opponent have no cards left in her hand or on her front row rear-guard circles, he was about to seal it in a way she would not anticipate it.

"First check," he said as he drew the first card with his open right hand and held it up to his face, before it was then his turn to smile as he turned it around to reveal Polypod Deletor, Oloron "Stand Trigger! I give all the effects to Oksizz!"

"W... WHAT?!" Remember cried out in horror "A Stand Trigger?!"

"Second check."

Ibuki then proceeded to his second drive check with a smug expression and the knowledge that the game was now his, no matter what it was. Unfortunately for his opponent, what he had just revealed had all but sealed her fate as it was revealed to be Marching Deletor, Maze "Critical Trigger. I give all the effects to Oksizz!"

**Daunting Deletor, Oksizz/POW: 11000 - 21000/Critical: 1 - 2**

On the imaged battlefield, Oksizz chuckled darkly as it recieved both of the trigger effects and prepared himself to ready for the finishing blow. Zaele and Gaele on the other hand slashed away at all of Remember's guardians, causing them to vanish in a series of spark explosions. The Legioned pair stared down at a petrified and frightened Remember who could only stare back at the imposing Deletors, before looking to Oksizz who was already beginning to hover towards her.

"No way...!" she gasped as she looked at side of the field and realizing she had nothing left to guard this attack "I'm... going to lose... yet why am I so frightened?!"

As Ibuki rested Oksizz's card to deal the finishing blow, he then glanced over all the Code Art and Remember named cards he had observed during the fight, taking note of their unusual appearance for the first time as he had by then figured out why his opponent had been using them.

"Your cards..." he muttered "If they are not from Cray, then you're with those rumoured assassins I've heard about that have been laying siege to this world."

"A... And what if I am?" Remember replied nervously.

"The destruction of Vanguard... even if it's for something as petty as an incident in your world..." he replied with closed eyes, before they opened to reveal a very annoyed expression "That right ONLY belongs to me!"

The former LRIG could only clench her teeth in response to his tone before her eyesight abruptly returned to her image where Oksizz abruptly swiped her off the ground with its upper two arms and met the Deletor's cold gaze head on, causing her to freeze up in fear.

_**Ibuki... even if we cannot Delete her units and cards until Brandt is in range of Cray... I can still sense something inside of her.** _

Remember's eyes widened as she heard the warped deep voice sound out from Oksizz itself as Ibuki's astral spirit seperated from his Vanguard and came alongside it, like it was acting as its own seperate entity.

"You sensed it too I see," he replied cooly "That Remember depicted on the card... she and that entity are one in the same."

His opponent could only stare at him before she noticed something glow around her as her astral form's appearance began to change from her human self to resemble that of her LRIG self, depicted in the cards she used and when she was playing the role in question. She was bewildered, why this form was now in Oksizz's range even when it wasn't a mere Vanguard. She didn't have time to fully react as she felt herself being crushed in the Deletor's grasp, causing her to scream out in pain as it continued to tighten its grip and hold, threatening to break her completely.

"I... AGH! ... still have a chance...!" she groaned as she briefly flashed back to reality and reached out for the top of her deck, praying that there was something to save her. Alas, as her real self subconsciously turned over the top card, it came out as Code Art GNR, putting her damage count to six "No...!"

 _ **Shall I...?**_ Oksizz asked.

"I wouldn't just Delete that LRIG side of her," Ibuki remarked "I cannot have her exposing my activities to anyone who may stand in our way at the appointed time."

_**Then what do you suggest?** _

Ibuki then closed his eyes and smiled deviously, making Remember widen her mouth in complete worry.

"Erase her memories of the fight and our initial encounter," he said "Enough will be left behind to leave a message to anyone who tries to come after me, that they will meet her fate."

_**Erase her memories and LRIG self, yet allow the terror to remain in her heart... That thought of an idea suits you, Ibuki Kouji.** _

"My memories...?!" gasped Remember before she felt herself being crushed by Oksizz's claws before she was thrown to the ground "AGH!"

By the time she got up, she was too late to see the sharp points of the Deletor's claws impaling her head through her image, causing her to scream loudly in pain as she felt her astral self and her memories of the fight they just had being erased from her. The pain did not stop until Oksizz removed its claw from her head, causing the rest of her broken self to fall to the ground and vanish from the imagination of the battlefield and Vanguard itself. Ibuki said only two words as everything faded out from around him.

"Delete End."

In reality, Remember fell to both knees as her limp arm knocked over all of her cards to the floor, spilling them whole. She was now a broken and mortified shell of her former self, scarred by the Deletors with no memories left to describe her fight with Ibuki or how to even describe the terror that inhabited her soul. In a way, the torment she inflicted on Kiyoi had finally come back to bite her, even if she wasn't the one to cause this scenario in the first place. The former LRIG had no access to anyone of her powers or could no longer even become one herself and was terrified beyond belief, even if she could no longer remember why.

Ibuki having gathered up his cards looked down at the pile noticed Remember Dead Night, Star-Reading Miko that was now face up amongst them, causing him to realize this must have been the card she bound at the start of their fight. He was intrigued by the Grade much like he did when his opponent rode Remember Night, but paid it no heed with his problem being dealt with effectively. He then looked down at the broken girl.

"I doubt you can very much recover your memories or sense of self," he said before his glare narrowed "But if you or your troupe dare to follow me or interfere with my mission, I won't hesitate to erase all of you at once. All of you and Vanguard."

And with that, he turned away and left a powerless Remember at her knees, all alone in a place where karma had played a part in getting back at her for being the tormentor to Kiyoi and any other victims who came across her beforehand.

* * *

**Hello everyone! I'm terribly sorry for being overdue all year on all of my fics, but with this self-contained one shot, this will shed some light on Remember's fate whilst keeping Ibuki out of the overall conflict so he doesn't jump the gun on his ambitions before the events of Neon Messiah. Anyways, whilst I once again apologize for my lateness, but I can assure you that Stand Up, the LRIG is not going anywhere. I've primarily had trouble with how I wanted to write Ruko's course through Arc 4 Side: Vanguard, but fortunately, I've managed to resolve that and I can promise you that the next update for the fic will be not ONE, not TWO, but THREE back to back chapters to catch up everyone with the story and also bring closure to Akira's role in Arc 4 so far until the next one. Until then, I hope you've enjoyed the one-shot and I look forward to hearing your thoughts and criticisms.**

**Stay safe everyone and have a Happy Halloween!**

**Author's Note:**

> Original cards debuting in the Stand Up, the LRIG! Continuity:
> 
> Code Art GNR (Full name in Wixoss would be Code Art Generator)  
> Grade 1  
> Boost  
> SLD: 5000  
> POW:7000  
> Magallanica  
> Electric Machine  
> Magallanica  
> [ACT](RC)[1/Turn]: If your Vanguard has "Piruluk" in its card name, {COST|Counter Blast (1)}, choose one of your opponent's frozen rear-guards in the same column as this unit and if you do, that unit loses all its skills and abilities. (The chosen unit cannot Boost, Intercept or perform Twin Drive! if given an ability to perform a Drive Check)


End file.
